Adolesant creatures
by WolfOfLight14
Summary: Join Ayame Lebowski as she tells of her journey to find her missing mother. Meeting new friends and discovering shocking secrets along the way. I suck at summaries and I own nothing but Ayame!
1. The start of something new

**Chapter 1**

"Hey Dad, I'm home!" I yelled as I opened the front door. I walked into the kitchen just as the phone stared ringing, I picked it up, "Hello Ayame Lebowski speaking."

"Hey Aya, just wanted to tell you that I'm working late tonight so you can either cook yourself something or I've left some money on the table if you want to order out." Dads voice came through the phone.

"Do you always have to work late?" I whined.

"I'm sorry, there's a guy here who thinks he killed a wolf, I think its just a big dog. I have to go now, see you later." He hung up.

I went to the computer after throwing my bag in my room, looked like pizza again, I was to lazy to cook anything tonight. After ordering my pizza online I sat and read a book for school, it was so boring. I usually liked books but the ones my English teacher set were all romance.

The doorbell rang and I paid the man, I only ate half the pizza. I would eat the rest later, when dad worked late he always ate dinner at the station.

Forty minutes later I was trying to tame my hair, after my shower it was tangled I gave up and looked at my reflection. A girl of fourteen stared back at me, long tawny hair down to her waist, bright blue eyes. My left eye, for some reason had tiny flecks of gold scattered amongst the blue.

After throwing some clothes on I decided it was time for study, I didn't like it but in this decaying world an education was expensive and I didn't want to waste my parents money.

That was the night this whole mess started, dad came home the next morning saying that mom had over worked herself. That's why I lived with him and not her, she was to involved in her research and hardly ever left the lab. I wasn't told much but from what I could work out mom was the head scientist in a lab, they were working on a special girl.

Anyway that night was also the night some thieves broke into the building my parents worked in, aiming for food they lost one of there own. The boy had fresh bite marks on his shoulder, from a dog of some sort, that's what everyone else thought, the bite looked to big for a dog. I thought it was something more.

I woke up that morning feeling groggy and pissed like every morning, it was a school day so I put on my uniform, white shirt, maroon jersey, gray skirt, stockings and black mary janes. I rubbed the last of the sleep out of my eyes as I walked to the kitchen, dad was there.

"Morning Aya, sorry about last night. Some guy shot a big dog saying it was a wolf, we had to let him go eventually." I listened while buttering my toast,

"By the way, go to the hospitable this afternoon, Cher worked herself to hard again and we're going to visit her." I couldn't be bothered objecting so I just shrugged. I didn't think much of it, occasionally mom would work herself to hard and end up in bed for a few days, I would be forced to go over and help out. She had never ended up in hospital though.

School was boring, I had finished my English book already so she set me a new one, some junk called Twilight, the girls in my class loved it, it sounded weird to me. Harry Potter was more my style.

I met dad outside the hospital and we walked in together with him doing all the talking, "We found more hairs outside the cage, that's three sets now. This is getting weird." He ranted. I just nodded along.

The hospital visit was alright, she was looking better already, "Hello Ayame, how are you?" She asked while hugging me tight.

"I'm fine, schools fine." I said answering here next question before she could ask it. We talked for awhile and dad gave her a really hideous scarf which we both laughed at. He had a horrible fashion sense, a few weeks ago he bought me a bright pink woollen scarf, that had gone strait to the back of my wardrobe and it hadn't been seen since.

When we left we didn't go strait home, dad had to take care of some business, he didn't drive towards the office though, he drove to some old apartment buildings. He knocked on one of the doors and an old man answered and let us in.

"Ayame this is Quent Yaiden, Quent this is my daughter Ayame." He looked down at me.

"Hey short stuff." He seemed drunk.

I spotted a big black dog in the corner of the room, "Mr Yaiden, can I pet your dog?" I asked politely.

"Yeah go nuts, and don't call me Mr, makes me feel old." While the two men sat down I slowly walked over to the dog, she was beautiful, her eyes were amazing, so bright and full of life. I glanced up to see Quent showing dad something. It looked like some deep cuts on his hand.

"Did I hear right? Did you just say wolf?" I asked, I had never seen one only drawings, no one talked about them.

"You cant prove it was a wolf." My father said totally ignoring me.

"Well, there weren't any cats or ferrets around, there was only a young human. That beast turned into a little boy right in front of my eyes." The old man replied while stile examining the wound. "He was just a kid. About as young as yours." He said nodding at me.

I turned around and reached out my hand to the dog, she licked it and I pulled it up to rub her head. She was so calm, she leaned into my touch.

"Can you remember what the boy looked like?" Dad asked him.

"I'm trying but for some reason my memories a little fuzzy." He answered, smirking a little.

Dad got up and I followed, I looked down to see dog hair all over my school uniform. "Maybe I should come back another time."

"It'll always be the same, but im not drunk yet tonight." He said still smirking.

"I dont know why I thought I could ever come to you for advice." He ushered me out into the hallway.

"Your obsessed with the wolves." I looked back in the see Quent still seated.

"I'll be right out." He told me before shutting the door.

I pressed my ear against the door, I could only just hear the old mans voice, "I tell you now that words of red moon, from the great spirit was born the wolf and man became it's messenger. In other words the human race was created from wolves. So says the author of the book of the moon." I stopped listening and stood back in case someone opened the door.

A few seconds later dad came out. The drive home was quiet, dad made dinner and I went to bed soon after.

The next day was a work experience day so I had to go with either my mom or dad into wherever they worked. Since the lab mom worked at was top secret I always went in with dad, none of his workmates had kids so it was just me.

Lucky for me he was on the field today. Unfortunately we were working with dead birds, like my father I was allergic to down. Later that night I was in his office working on a book report (he still insisted I do work even if it was work experience.)

His assistant, Tony, came in and dropped off dinner just as some guys ran past the door. "Isn't it kinda late to be going out on a raid?"

"It's that gang of thieves again, they finally found the last of their hideouts. They were tracking the leader this afternoon, a young guy. But then out of nowhere this big black dog shows up, then when they lost site of the guy this other dog appeared."

The old man came crashing through the door, Tony started to leave to help out with the raids, "Hey dad can I go with Tony?" I suddenly asked.

Tony nodded at Dad, "It's alright Hubb, she'll be safe with us." He nodded and I followed Tony out the door.

"Just remember I'm going out with Cher tonight so just drop her back at my place Tony!" Dad yelled after us. I had totally forgotten about that.

They made me put on a vest and helmet, just for safety. After that we were all go.

When we got there I saw four men running across the lines leading out of the city, the men were shooting at them. Tony pointed one out to me, "That one there is the gang leader, the rest can be charged for associating with him." He told me.

The man he pointed at was dressed all in leather, he was tall and had silver hair. The one behind him looked my age, long hair and quite short, the next one up looked eighteen with long dark hair and the last was chubby with puffy brown hair.

We got into a car and chased them along the lines until we got to a large crack in the ground. I saw two jump and one hesitate, the tall gang leader shoved him off, waited a few seconds then jumped, not before someone could fire at him. I looked across to see my dad wrestling with the old man, they had a gun.

Dad managed to push him to the ground just after the man jumped.

Ten minutes later we were examining paw prints in the snow. Everyone but the old man was baffled, "I'm not tracking them for pleasure of curiosity you know? It's for revenge, now do you believe?"

"Believe what?" Dad asked

"That you've been deceived this entire time. By a pack of wolves." He took a drink from his flask.

"Your wrong it's not possible."


	2. Strange Happenings

**Chapter 2 **

Dad walked into my room late that night, I was still sitting at my desk studying. "Hey Squirt, time for bed." He hugged me and walked back out.

The next morning he sat me down at the table, he looked like he hadn't slept at all, "Cher has gone out of town for awhile, I don't know how long or where to. But she did want us to water her plants while she's gone."

We went that morning, when we arrived the apartment was bare, the furniture was covered and a few of her books were missing.

"Water the plants, she doesn't have any." Dad commented as we rounded the corner to her desk, as I suspected totally bare. But there was something sticking out of one the drawers, it looked like the scarf dad bought her.

He walked over and opened the drawer, it was the scarf and it was wrapped around something. A book entitled the book of the moon. It looked old, the pages were yellow and the cover was falling apart. We took both and left, but not before I could search for something in her room. A perfectly shaped sapphire tear-drop necklace, it had taken me ages to save my pocket money for it. It wasn't there. She probably took it with her, I knew she loved it, it was an antique.

A week later dad let me come with him to track down the old man, Quent. We were obsessed, I couldn't focus in class and I wasn't eating right. I was left outside while dad checked the hotel room, glancing down the street I saw something move in the shadows, it was big and black and looked canine shaped. It lifted its head when I whistled, stunning blue eyes looked back at me. It was his dog, meaning he was likely to be in the pub next-door.

I walked over and scratched the dog behind her ears, dad came running out moment later. I saw him look around for me and saw his green eyes rest on me and the dog.

"Hey dad I found his dog. He's probably getting drunk in the pub." I said as he walked to me.

"You may as well come in with me, I doubt the owner will care as long as you don't drink anything." He opened the door and stepped in with me following close behind.

There was only one man there, it was Quent, "You pushed yourself up a bit I see. Hey kid." He said while rummaging in his pockets for change.

I was about to make some smart ass comment when dad spoke, "We need to talk."

"That's it for me, I'm done." He put his hat on after throwing some money on the counter.

Dad pulled the book out of his coat, "Have you ever seen this? Is what's written inside this book made up? Or black magic? Or a dream?" he was good at keeping a strait face.

"Or reality?" He bent down and picked up his case, "Interpret it however you want." he walked out again.

Dad ran after him moments later, "Just a minute. Cher the woman who left this book for me, she suddenly disappeared." He sounded desperate, I had no idea he still loved mom that much, "Something horrible is happening, isn't it?"

"I've always had this strange sense of restlessness inside but, I could never figure out what it was." I told the men.

"Does it seem like the moons getting closer?" Quent asked, "And glowing red? As if the whole thing were burning up?"

"Does that mean..." Dad trailed off.

"The destruction of the moon. The world is coming to an end?" I finished.

"I have no idea, maybe it just means my eyes are going bad." He paused, "But as long as I can see I'm gunna search for those wolves. You two should look for that woman." he pulled his dogs leash and started walking, "If she's important to you that is."

We stood for a moment watching him walk away. "Dad, I wanna find her."

"We'll go when the school term ends." Trust him to think of my education, "We'll go outside the dome. We'll find her."

We walked back to the car, "How dad? How do you find someone who just disappeared?"

"Act like a cop silly." he ruffled my hair playfully, "I'm sure she's out there, and with my experience, strength and damn good looks, we'll find her in no time." He joked, I forced a laugh just to make him happy.

That night dad got a call from school, I had failed maths again and he wasn't happy but he let it slide because of mom going missing.

A few days later dad went to visit a noble, he wouldn't let me come because the noble had a bad reputation, also because I had school.

He came home mumbling about sluts, seduction and snakes, he was also allergic to snakes apparently. He said the same thing every night when he came home, "We'll find her." He always meant it.

"Bye dad, I'll see you after school. Be safe!" Called as I ran out the door a few days later. It was interval when the first screams were heard, no one would tell us what was going on they just told us to get home as fast as possible. I did just that.

No one was there just a note on the table,

_Ayame,_

_I had to leave the city, Lord Orkahm is dead and I am now a fugitive._

_Please don't try and follow me, I'll try and find Cher while this mess blows over._

_Until then stay safe,_

_Dad_

Next to it was an envelope with five hundred in cash inside. Like hell I was staying here. I packed a small bag, money, food and dads spare gun. They gave up checking bus passengers ages ago.

I changed my clothes into a white shirt with maximum beat on it, a black leather jacket, dark jeans and dark blue trainers. At the last minute I put a photo of my parents and me in my pocket.

The bus station was almost empty, I bought a ticket and hopped on a bus to the next town. On the journey I had a lot of time to think. It took just over eight hours to get there, when I did arrive it was late at night, a noble ship hovered just above the city.

I didn't want to pay for a room so I found the junk yard, plenty of old cars and buses I could stay in. I chose a yellow one with rust and holes in the roof. I went in and found it occupied already, what looked like dogs and a girl with red eyes.

The big gray leapt at me and I fell to the ground with a thud, I opened my eyes to see a man in leather on top of me holding a knife to my throat, he was the gang leader from the city. I saw the three other boys come out to, one of them holding the girls shoulders. They weren't dogs, they were wolves.

"Stop! I don't want to hurt you, I just needed a place to stay the night!" I yelled in panic. The man pressed harder causing a small cut to appear.

"Hey, you kind of smell like that blonde lady, the one from the forest." The chubby one looked around seeing if anyone agreed.

"Yeah she kind of does." The small one agreed.

"Tsume, she is but a cub. She means us no harm." The girl stepped forward and put a hand on the man's shoulder. Why did she say cub?

He removed the knife and stood but left me on the ground, "Stay out of my way kid." He stormed back into the bus.

"Kiba, humans cant sleep in the cold, can she stay for tonight?" The smaller one turned to a one with shaggy dark brown hair. He thought about it for a moment. I was never really cold but I wanted to stay anyway.

"I'll only be here one night. I'm looking for someone." I begged. While the boy named Kiba thought the small one turned to me again.

"I'm Toboe, who are you looking for?" He asked. Kiba seemed to have made up his mind.

"My parents, dad went looking for mom yesterday and mom went missing a few weeks ago." I explained, it was better to be honest.

"You may as well stay then." Kiba said walking back inside.

"By the way the man who attacked you was Tsume, the boy with brown hair is Hige." Toboe explained.


	3. Who are these boys?

**Chapter 3**

I snuggled closer to the source of heat, it was fluffy and soft. I opened my eyes to see what was so soft, it was a wolf. The events of last night came rushing back to me and I remember where I was.

The sounds around me cleared, "Humans need food right? They cant live on moonlight like us wolves." The brown wolf called Hige asked.

"No Hige, we are not keeping her." Tsume snapped as if I was the animal, I suppose I was to them.

"Last night she said she was looking for her parents." Toboe said as I let go.

"I suppose I better go anyway. Thanks for the help." I said getting up.

Toboe pulled me back down. "You only just woke up, you can stay awhile."

"Toboe if the human wants to go let her go, it'll be a load of our backs." Tsume snapped at him.

"On second thought I may stay awhile longer." I sat down again just to piss him off. I looked at the girl, I had seen photos in mom's research folder once, this was the flower maiden, "Cheza, I've heard so much about you."

Everyone looked at me weird, "My mother worked in the lab Cheza was in, she was head of department. It ruined our family but I don't blame anyone." I said quickly when Kiba looked like he was going to slap me.

"I knew you smelled familiar!" Hige yelled.

I stayed until mid day then I continued my search. I didn't believe Quent when he said wolves were devils, those wolves were friendly, apart from Tsume.

I wandered the streets after eating the last of my food, I rounded a corner to see two men in uniforms talking, I caught a snippet of conversation as I passed, "That woman was saying stuff like that, something about wolves." I stopped, "Keep moving kid." He snapped at me.

A boy younger than me came running around a corner, his arms were loaded with food. "It's him." One of them muttered before chasing after him.

I heard a bang from the alley they disappeared into, I chose to follow the sound. I rounded the corner just in time to see the man drop the kid and kick him into a wall. Quent's dog raced around the corner and attacked the men. I ran to the boy when the dog did.

He was knocked out and his head was bleeding. I moved his hair aside a checked the wound, I was to preoccupied to see Quent run around the corner and fire a warning shot at his dog, "Blue, get away from him. You to Aya." I backed away.

He picked up the kid, "Geez you reek." The kid mumbled.

Back at the boy's place Quent fixed up the wound, "So kid you live alone? Where's your father Ayame?" He asked.

"Isnt it obvious?" The kid was rude.

"I don't know, that's why I'm here. And It's Aya." I answered.

"Where's your mom?" Quent asked

"Dead."

"What about your dad?"

"As they say nature makes a fine mother." Despite living on the streets the boy was snobby and rude.

There was a long pause while Quent finished bandaging his head, "Now listen to me kids, I know its important for you to feel like your making on your own but-"

He was interrupted by the kid, "What would you know about it?"

"A lot more than you do." I snapped at him.

"I know, and so will you when you have kids of your own someday." Quent was still calm.

"Yeah I bet I will, then ill just decide to take off one day saying its for the good of the family, when my kid tries to stop me im just gunna ignore him. You like that to arent you?" He turned to me "If your done with your good dead for the day just leave me alone, take your Pedo with you."

I was about to snap and say something rude but Quent shoved me out the door, "Sorry to bother you."

"You pathetic little ass-wipe!" I yelled before he closed the door. Quent glared at me but gave up after a few seconds.

I stopped suddenly at the top of the stairs making Quent run into the back of me. I probably would have screamed if it hadn't been for his hand over my mouth. There on the ground was the body of the man who kicked the kid into the wall. His mouth open in a silent scream and his eyes opened wide.

Quent ran around the corner to see Blue's leash and collar on the ground. Later that night Quent and I were walking through town looking for Blue or dad, he whistled every few blocks. As we walked past yet another alley he stopped, I looked to see Toboe running away, "That's the boy. No doubt about it." He said before grabbing his gun and running after him.

He stopped and aimed his gun but instead of a small brown wolf he saw a large black dog limping towards us. He ran a hand through her fur, blood stained his hand and a pool steadily formed around her. A howl pierced the night and Quent got up to follow, Blue grabbed his long coat in her mouth, begging him to stay. He gave her one last pat and left.

I ran after him, I wouldn't let him shoot the wolves that helped me. I saw Tsume and Hige jump off the cliff, Quent aimed his gun and fired. Luckily it missed.

"You damn wolves!" He started firing off shots. The wolves glared at me.

"No Quent don't!" I yelled, trying to pull his arm down. He shrugged me off and kept firing, just missing each one.

I saw Cheza fall, Quent took aim and fired, he would have got her head if Kiba hadn't stepped in the way and taken the bullet for her. He went to pull the trigger again, there was a click signalling there were no bullets left. I looked to see the wolves run into the forest while he reloaded, before he went in Tsume flipped me off.

When he finished Quent looked up to see his targets gone, he let out a mighty yell and fired off the next round of bullets, "Aya!" I could tell I was in trouble, I didn't care, they helped me and I repaid the favour no matter what Tsume thought I was doing.

After a long interrogation and yelling session Quent and I walked back to the spot we left Blue. "If you were my kid you would have been beaten by now." He grumbled, "Wont stand for that 'child abuse' crap."

We got to the spot to find it empty, just a pool of blood. A howl pierced my ears for the second time that night.


	4. Road trip!

**Chapter 4**

The cops caught up with us and we were taken into custody, Quent was beaten when he didn't say what they wanted him to, I was questioned but not beaten. The commander stood in front of him the man to his right pointing a gun and Quents head. His face was swollen and bleeding and his hands were handcuffed behind the chair.

"Why don't we try this again? From the beginning?" The leader asked.

"Do you always treat helpful civilians this way?" Quent looked up at him, "Who are offering you information. Of course a shot of vodka might make me more cooperative." Idiot drunk.

"I was told you had a dog with you. So what happened to it?" The man demanded, "We found animal bite marks on the corpses of my dead men. There weren't any pet dogs in that town, much less any strays."

"Well then commander, I guess they must have been killed by wolves." He laughed, "Yeah must have been wolves."

After spending the night in a cell we were released. Quent, after not having a alcoholic drink in over twelve hours demanded we go to a pub. He passed out behind some barrels, I sat a little way away from him. The barmen started talking to someone, "Yeah she came in here awhile ago, throwing them back with that old guy." I looked up to see who was asking for Quent.

I jumped to my feet when I saw who it was, "Dad!" I launched myself at him.

"Ayame I told you not to come." He said after a few moments of hugging.

"That never stopped me before. I wanted to come." I had come this far and there was no way I was going back now.

"You shouldn't have, its dangerous. Your lucky you ran into Quent." He lectured.

I stuttered for a moment, Quent butted in, "Now calm down, she's here now there's no point sending her home. She may as well come along." He winked at me.

He thought for a moment, "Fine, you would probably find a way to follow me anyway."

The men sat down at the bar and ordered drinks, "I cant believe she's the woman you were looking for." Quent mumbled after his second drink.

"How did she look, was she okay?" Dad asked.

"Well considering the amount of booze she was drinking she seemed fine to me." I hardly ever saw mom drink. Apart from a glass of wine every now and then, and that night after the divorce.

"Oh is that so?"

"You'd be better off to just give up on a headstrong woman like that. No offence kid." I nodded to him, apparently I was just like my mother.

"She only seems that way, I know how she really is. I've been at her side for as long as I can remember." Dad mused.

"Believe me its a bad idea to think you know someone just because your with them all the time." Quent said before taking another sip.

"So I take it your search for the wolves is going well, and where's your dog was she to headstrong for you?"

"Well it was," Quent glared at me, "and I guess she was, she ran off on me." He took yet another sip, "I'm so tired I can barley think, it's gotten so bad I don't even know what the hell I've been searching for."

"Wolves remember?" I sipped my coke.

"Yeah, it was the wolves. It's always been wolves."

Dad picked up his hat, "I'd love to stay and chat but I really don't have the time. Come on Aya."

"I've always had a suspicion since my boy found Blue and bought her home, even though she was just a pup. I figured she had some wolf blood in her, that's the reason she was able to track down the wolves so well." Quent said as we walked out.

"I've never been good with drunks." Dad told me a little way up the road. I hadn't realised we had been in the bar so long, it was sunset already.

We went back to the bar half an hour later, this time dad made me wait outside. An hour later the barkeeper came out, he led me to a room above the pub. On the way I saw that Quent had passed out again, dad was leaning against the counter.

"Since your caretakers are passed out you may as well stay here for the night. Don't want you freezing out there." He smiled and left.

I didn't sleep that night, I sat at the window and looked out at the waning moon. Last night it had been full, I had always loved the full moon. I could remember when I was ten my father would sit out on the porch with me and just talk. That was a year before the divorce.

"I cant afford that!" Dad yelled at the car yard the next day. We were going on the road with Quent and for that we needed a car.

A boy a bit older than me tapped me on the shoulder and signalled for us to follow, "Dad come on." I pulled on his sleeve to get his attention.

"You want that much for this?" He asked when we arrived at the beat up car.

"Believe me, you wont find a better car in this village." I hadn't even seen another car here. Apart from the dead ones at the junk yard.

"Why do feel like I'm being screwed?" I giggled at his perfectly strait face.

"Tell you what, if you want I can fill it up with enough gas to get you to the next town." The boy tried.

"How much?" Dad sighed. He paid the boy and got in the car, Quent took the front seat.

I opened the back door, the boy grabbed my shoulder, "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"Thanks but no." I could hear Quent was getting impatient.

"Then maybe there's something you could do for me, your number perhaps?" He asked.

"Piss off will ya?" I got in and shut the door.

"Nice going Blondie." Quent commented.

The car started with a loud bang, it started moving with a slightly smaller bang. At least it moved. Within half an hour Quent was drinking, I was curled up on the back seat half asleep.

I was half listening to the conversation, "Don't you think its hilarious?" Quent asked

"What is?"

"Here I am trying to get a pack of wolves, and here you are chasing a fox. We make one hell of a team." He took a sip of the alcohol he had bought. "What's funny is that your the one who's scared to find her." He leaned over and got in dads face.

"Will you please get off me!" Dad shoved him away.

Quent laughed and mocked him, "Please get off. Excuse me my chickadee." He laughed more, "That's right, women always run when you chase 'em. Its been that way since the dawn of time. Take your little girl for example, the way that guy asked for her number, she shoved him off like a piece of dirt. Not that he wasn't a piece of dirt."

I felt the car slow and stop, "How about you drive for awhile? We've got awhile to go so we'll take turns behind the wheel."

"What the hell kind of dumb thing is that for a cop to say!" Quent demanded, "Your gunna let a drunken man drive?" He held up his bottle of booze.

Dad swiped it off him and chugged it, "How about now?"

"Your out of your mind."

"And your forgetting I'm not just a cop I'm also a wanted fugitive." He got out of the car with Quent following.

"Don't chug it!" Was the next thing I heard, must have fallen asleep.

"So that include your marriage and kid?" Quent asked, "Was that your parents idea to?"

"No, Cher and I well, we first met through a friend of mine. It was love at first sight." Quent laughed louder still.

I must have fallen asleep again, when I woke we had stopped. I could hear someone vomiting, my mussels were stiff and my bladder was full. I felt something on top of me like a blanket, it was dads coat.

I got up and stepped out of the car pulling the coat with me. "What time is it?" it looked about sunset but I couldn't be sure.

"Around four. You've been asleep all day." Quent answered. I put dads coat over his shoulders, he was the one vomiting, Quent was taking a leak a few meters away. It started snowing just as I got back in the car.

I couldn't fall asleep again, my mind was reeling.


	5. Long drive

**Chapter 5**

"I cant see a thing damn it." Quent moaned. It was dark and snowing, "Cant hear either, what a night."

"Just don't get us killed." I growled back. The car skidded to a stop making dad fly forward and my head hit the back of Quents headrest. Quent on the other hand jumped out of the car.

Dad opened his door and stuck his head out, "What the hell was that?"

"Forget it, it was nothing." He said. I got out as well.

"Didn't look like nothing." I heard something crunching snow, apparently the others heard it to. We ran towards it, I didn't see the cliff until it was to late. I almost slipped off, if Quent didn't have such quick reflexes I might be dead. "Thanks."

I stood up and looked at the scene below us, heaps of trucks and cars were filing past. "Damn you!" Dad suddenly yelled, "You bastards!"

"Why the hell are you so frustrated?" Quent asked when the trucks were gone.

"Cant you see what's going on? Somewhere out there, I don't know, some things happening."

"You may think that something unknown is playing games with you, that your the only one being left out of the loop. Trust me, that's not the case. All your doing is watching the scenery go by." I took Quent's words of wisdom to heart.

We walked back to the car, Quent drove again and dad fell back asleep. Ten minutes later the older man spoke again, "Look at that, your old man's actually smiling. Must be one hell of a dream."

"I've hardly seen him smile since the divorce. He really loves her, he wanted to raise a proper family, she did to but then she was offered a promotion. After that she became more and more distant." A tear slipped down my left cheek.

"I had a boy once. The wolves killed him, they killed everyone. He would have been about your age now, maybe a bit older." He smiled slightly, "Go to sleep kid, I'll wake you when we stop and eat."

Suddenly I was back in my old kitchen, mom was at the stove cooking my favourite food, vegetable soup. The memory faded into another one, we were getting ready for the annual ball in the building mom and dad worked in, since I was only eight they couldn't leave me home alone.

Mom finished the touches on my dress, it was frilly and pink. She stood in front of me in a sea blue dress of her own, it matched her eyes perfectly. Dad walked into the room in his black tuxedo, complaining about how he preferred white.

The memory faded again, it wasn't a memory this time it was a dream, I was running with the wolves. Toboe, Kiba, Tsume and Hige, we were running to Paradise. The flower girl was with us.

"Aya, its time to get up." Mom called. I opened my eyes to see Quent looking down at me. I screamed and punched him, he backed away holding his nose.

"Ahh, what the hell was that for!"

"I am so sorry, it was just instinct." I got out of the car and tried to help.

"You've got one hell of punch ill give you that." He scooped up some snow put it on.

"What the hell is all the noise?" Dad groaned.

Later dad was explaining how the divorce happened, "When Aya was ten Cher got an offer from a noble science division, to head up their new research lab." He paused for a moment, "Gradually she became more and more absorbed in her research."

"An like two ships that pass in the night, you got a divorce. Talk about cliché." Quent finished, "Why couldn't you stop it?"

"Cheza, after awhile it was all she could talk about, night and day it was Cheza, Cheza, Cheza." All day was right, she was always at the lab to.

"What the hell is that?" I couldn't answer his question, no one had told me either.

"An entity, an original life form created by highly advanced biotechnology."

"What do you mean dad?" I asked.

"From what she told me, she was working on a research organism that could adapt to and survive in any given environment. There was something about it being created from the essence of a special plant." Dad told us.

"Lunar flowers." I whispered. No one heard me, Toboe had told me that Cheza was made from Lunar flowers.

"Made into the form of a beautiful girl. Beautiful, just like a flower." The car slowed to a stop.

"Why have we stopped? It cant possibly be my turn to drive yet." Quent growled.

"Why did the car stop?" He got out and opened the bonnet.

Half and hour later we were still sitting there, "Hey, I could use some help you know." Dad yelled through the open window. Eventually we got it running again. Quent and dad took turns driving but dad outright refused to let me have a go.

The journey was long and quiet, we had run out of things to discuss and there was no entertainment in the car. Eventually I could make out a town in the distance. After 32 hours of travelling I was overjoyed to get out and walk around for more than five minutes.

When the car stopped I immediately got out and stretched, "Come on kid, we aren't that bad to travel with are we?" Quent joked.

"32 hours of men, both of whom are at least 20 years older than me, one of which is my father. I'm glad to be free at last!" I looked around, crappy town was falling apart.

"Yeah into a town filled with more men." Quent was right, I couldn't see any woman or girls anywhere, "Alright then, how about we meet back here at nightfall?"

"Sure, we can decide then whether or not to get a hotel." Dad said.

"So what's your plan? How you gunna find her?" Quent asked.

"I'll just act like a cop, start walking the beat."

"Well then, I'm just gunna go wandering." I started to walk away only to be held back by dad.

"Nope, to dangerous, your coming with me or Quent the choice is yours." I glared at him before coming up with a quick plan.

"I'll go with Quent then." I walked after him and dad walked the other way.

"You do realize I'm not gunna let you wander off." He glanced at me, "However I cant stop you if you run away from me."

"Nice try but your not gunna get rid of me that easy." I gave up on my plan, I had the opportunity but annoying him would be much more fun.


	6. Sweet Reunions

**Chapter 6**

Not long after we arrived we came across an old man trying to get his caravan out of a ditch. Quent and I stopped to help, with our combined efforts we were soon able to get it out.

An old woman came running out, "Thank you so much, you really helped us out. Could we offer you a cup of coffee or hot chocolate?"

"No thanks." I said at the same time Quent answered, "No that's alright."

"Now don't be like that, if we add a little rum it'll warm your bones." The man offered.

With the temptation of alcohol Quent couldn't resist, "Well maybe just one."

"So where are you heading?" The woman asked when we were seated around the small round table.

"Well we actually just arrived."

"Sorry to disappoint you but there's not much here. Why don't you try the castle of the Darcia's in the west? It sits in the middle of a lake, its quite lovely." She suggested.

"We didn't exactly come out here for pleasure." Quent did the talking while I sipped my hot chocolate, the woman had made it with real chocolate. It was very expensive and I had only tasted it a few times before.

"Well we're off the visit our daughter, and that new husband of hers." The old man told us.

"But hun, Jessica isn't, well she's gone dear." She told her husband.

"I wonder if they left town already, those wolves I mean." He changed the subject.

Quent quickly put his cup down, "The what?"

"Oh its nothing, my husband mistook some boys for wolves."

"Don't be silly Elmira, they were wolves alright. In all my years their the first living wolves I've ever met."

"Please dear." She begged

"And the pretty black one you could tell how attached to people she was. It felt as if my own daughter was here at my side." He mused, he didn't know that the man sitting across from him loved that dog like his own daughter, how could he?

"Blue." Quent said before finishing his coffee and stood. I gulped down the rest of my hot drink and stood up as well.

"Sorry but we must be on our way." He started to walk, I remembered to photo in my pocket.

Quickly pulling it out I showed it to them, "Have you seen the woman in this photo?" They both shook their heads. "Okay, thanks anyway. Bye." I waved and ran off after Quent.

I looked at my picture as we walked, I hadn't realized before that I was starting to forget what she looked like. I hadn't seen her in over a month and her features were getting blurred. I remembered now how beautiful and soft her skin was, how her eyes shone like sapphires.

Before I could muse any more Quent snatched the photo from me, "Aww look at you, all cute and little." I was eight, I was on dads lap he had his arm around mom, who was sitting next to us on the couch. A happy family.

"Piss off Quent. Come on give that back." I demanded, he held the photo just out of my reach holding it higher every time I jumped for it. "Quent!"

"Alright fine, have your stupid photo." He tossed it back to me, "I can see why you didn't want anyone to see it. You used to be cute." He teased.

"What do you mean 'used to be' I'm still cuter than you." I hit him on the arm playfully while putting the picture back in my pocket.

"Well, I know a lost cause when I see one. I'm going back to the car, go find your mom if you want." He turned into a different part of town, I kept going strait towards the main square.

Half an hour later I arrived at a small pond just outside town, I watched a single goldfish swim around in it. I looked up to see someone in white approaching me, as the person came closer I noticed blonde hair and a pink scarf.

She stopped 20 metres away and just looked at me before running at me, I ran towards her to. We went into each others arms effortlessly, "Mom." I sobbed into her shoulder.

"Ayame. Why are you here? Where's your father?" She asked.

"We're here looking for you. Dad is around some other part of town." I answered through tears.

"He let you wander around on your own? And why do you smell of alcohol?" She asked again.

"I'll explain later, we have to go find dad. I'm sure him and Quent will be back at the car by now." I looked at the sky as I spoke, it was almost sunset.

I held her hand and started walking but stopped when I felt resistance, "Mom, aren't you coming?"

"You don't know how happy I am to see you, but you have to go home. It's far to dangerous for you to be here."

"No mom! I'm not going, I cant leave you two again. I only just found you." I was crying again.

"I'm sorry. I'll be home with you soon."

"No!" I screamed before running away. Everyone stared as I tore blindly through the streets until I came to the car. Quent was in the back seat already.

"Why are you crying?" He asked as I sat down in the back.

"I found mom." He looked at me with a puzzled expression, "She wants me to go home. I cant go home."

"I'm sure she doesn't want you to go back, she probably just thinks its to dangerous. Your dad thought that to remember?" He tried.

"Yeah I guess." The tears stopped flowing soon after. "Sorry about that Quent, its been an emotional week. I guess that just sent me over the edge." I apologized later.

"No problem kid."

I heard footsteps approaching the car from behind, I turned to see mom and dad walking towards us.

Dad got in the drivers seat and mom took the passengers, "Ayame, I was wrong. I guess I was still in the past, your not five any more and it was wrong of me to treat you like that. You can come." I just shrugged, I would have found a way to come anyway.

I curled up again, Quent put his head back and closed his eyes. It was silent for awhile. The two up front started talking about the scarf then Cheza. Finally they got to what I was interested in Paradise.

"What exactly is Paradise?" Dad asked

"Its a world where wolves rain supreme, they're drawn to the lunar flower because its the one thing that can guild the worlds remaining wolves to Paradise." Mom answered.

The car stopped, "Tell me Cher, did you know about all this from the beginning?" She shook her head, "Then who told you?" I flinched a little at dads yelling, "Wait a minute, you mean at the keep we're heading towards..." He trailed off.

"A world full of wolves huh?" Quent lifted his head, "If that's what you call Paradise ill take my chances in hell any day of the week."

"You were awake?" Dad asked the obvious.

"Hey what can I say? It's to cold to stay drunk."

"The book of the moon, it isn't just a fairytale you know." Mom told him.

"Maybe but even if your right there's nothing we humans can do about it, now is there?" Quent paused, "I'll never be able to forgive the wolves, not after what they did even if they are the supreme rulers of this rotten world. I'm gunna eradicate every one of 'em."

I got along with Quent fine, better than my parents but still there were things I didn't like about him. He thought wolves were servants of death, evil demons sent here to torture us. He wanted to kill them all.

The car started moving again and I sat up. It was going to be a long trip.


End file.
